Help Firefly maintain Penang strategy

Written by Regina William

Tuesday, 10 March 2009 22:49

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng wants the federal government to provide Firefly with RM20 million in financial assistance under the second fiscal stimulus package to enable the community airline to continue with its strategy of maintaining Penang as its second hub after Subang.

Lim, who sent a letter to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, said he had been informed by the budget airline that due to unfavourable economic conditions, it was planning to reduce significantly its flights out of Penang.

The routes which will be suspended in the cutback from March 29 include the Penang/Kota Bharu (seven times weekly), Penang/Kuala Terengganu (seven times weekly), Penang/Kuantan (seven times weekly), Penang/Phuket (four times weekly) and Penang/Koh Samui (four times weekly).

The remaining routes from Firefly's Penang bub are Penang/Subang (35 times weekly), Penang/Langkawi (14 times weekly), Penang/Johor Bahru (seven times weekly), Penang/Medan (14 times weekly) and Penang/Banda Aceh (four times weekly).

Lim in his letter stated that it was also expected in the second quarter of this year that the Penang/Medan and Penang/Langkawi routes will be reduced to seven times weekly.

With the cutback, Lim said plans for additional routes Penang/Krabi, Penang/Huahin, Penang/Suratthani, Penang/Nakhon Si Thammarat, Penang/Narathiwat, Penang/Hatyai, Penang/Trang, Penang/Pattani, Penang/Pekan Baru and Penang/Padang have been suspended indefinitely.

He said Firefly had positioned Penang as its secondary hub to serve as a link to major domestic cities and as a feeder for medium- and long-haul airlines operating into and from Penang.

"It was also to help position Penang as a hub to the IMT-GT region linking a region of 70 million people and to act as a catalyst for economic expansion of Penang by improving air connectivity to the island state," he added.

He said Firefly commenced operations on April 3, 2007 but since the routes from Penang are developmental in nature, it had sustained significant financial losses of RM10 million in 2007 and RM12.4 million in 2008.

Blaming the losses on the sudden and rapid deterioration of the global economy which has also affected Penang, Lim said Firefly would be unable to continue without any financial assistance from the state or federal government.

Source: the edge malaysia

Yes, have been on/off hole year.

Better book to subang(KL).

I just checked their flight schedules on the website; no Samui flights to/from Penang - only Subang

Thanks for publicly announcing it, or letting your 'valued frequent flyer customers' know, Firefly...

I just checked their flight schedules on the website; no Samui flights to/from Penang - only Subang

Thanks for publicly announcing it, or letting your 'valued frequent flyer customers' know, Firefly...

no loss imo,terrible service.and the consulate in penang are more trouble than they are worth.

I just checked their flight schedules on the website; no Samui flights to/from Penang - only Subang

Thanks for publicly announcing it, or letting your 'valued frequent flyer customers' know, Firefly...

Subang was always twice the cost, flight and accomodation...

I just did a minivan trip to Penang and decided never again on minivan, sob, sob

No more Penang, better to stay in a hotel in Hat Hai.